Toy and operating mechanism therefor



1 1927. March 5 F. L. THOMPSON ET AL TOY AND OPERATING MECHANISMTHEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 15 1927.

5', L. THOMPSON ET AL TOY AND OPERATING MECI'IANISM- THEREFOR Filed Feb.18, 1925 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Q gmi Fay)?! 7600/10 Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' FAYETTE L. THOMPSON, OF PORTLAND, AND CHARLES A. SLOPER, OF RAINIER,OREGON.

TOY AND OPERATING MECHANISM THEREFOR.

Application filed February 18, 1926.

The principal object of our invention is to provide an amusing toycomprising two stations and a body shunted back and forth between them,to simulate the shooting of projectiles from and towards oppositepoints. To make the effect more realistic, a percussion cap or fulminateis used as the agency for generating a force by which said body isprojected. The stations are preferably ar ranged so that said body willbe shunted back and forth a number of times.

e attain our object in the combination of a body and means for guidingsaid body along a predetermined path, having abutments at each endarranged to be struck by said body. Means are provided for placing afulminate between said abutment and said body to be exploded by theimpact of the body with the abutment. Either said abutment or thestriking end of said body is provided with a cavity which constitutes afiring chamber for said fulminate and thus the force generated by theexplosion functions to fill said firing chamber and to project said bodyfrom said abutment.

To provide means for shunting said body back and. forth between twostations carrying. said abutments more than once, we pro vide aplurality of fulminate elements and 30 means to bring the lattersuccessively into position to be exploded by the impact of the body withthe abutment.

The details of construction and the mode of operation of our device arehereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of our improved toy showing the two actuatingheads and the body to be reciprocated;

Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view thru one of said heads showing theactuating mechanism thereof;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line l4t of Fig. 3 showing the springfor rotating said head;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of said head taken in the direction of the arrow5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the parts shown explosion of the fulminate,said Figs. 3, 6,

in Fig. 3, a portion being shown broken Serial No. 89,095.

and 7 illustrating the progressive action of said devices; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed view of the holding pawl for each of saidheads.

Our improved .toy comprises two heads a spaced apart and carried bysupports 6. Extending between said heads is a taut, horizontallydisposed guiding cable 0, the ends of said cable being fastened to eyes(Z, screwed into said supports b. A body a to be reciprocated is carriedby said cable a, supported by two arms 6. Said arms preferably carrytrolley wheels 0 to eliminate friction with said cable-way. Said body ais preferably cylindrical and has tapered ends 6 and at the extremitiesof said body, firing pins 6 are mounted, said firing pins extending asubstantial distance from said extremity so as to provide a firingchamber, as f in Fig. 6, when said firing pin strikes the explosive capor fulminate g in each of the cavities: 71, in said body.

Each of said heads a are rotatably mounted upon a stub-shaft 2'extending laterally from saidsupport b, and a plurality of said cavitiesit are arranged concentrically about said stub-shaft. A spirally woundspring j connects the head to said support 6 and constitutes a motor forrotating said head. Said spring j is fastened atone end to a pin 7"driven into said support 2* and at the other end a rotatable disc k,thru a pin is carried thereby. Said disc is releasably connected to saidhead a bytwo pins 70 said pins resembling dowels as shown in Fig. 3.

Said head is preferably made with a stem a extending the entire lengthof said head, thus constituting a firm bearing for the latter upon saidstub-shaft 7'. A nut and washer z" and 2' upon said stub-shaft. holdsaid head against displacement from said stub-shaft. Said head ispreferably made with relatively thin walls and resembling a cup, asshown in Fig. 3, to eliminate a substantial portion of the mass thereof,thus arranged, said head will respond .more quickly to the action of thespring j than if said head had greater mass.

Formed upon the rim a of said cup-like heads is a circular ratchet a, asshown in Fig. i, and said ratchet is engaged by a pawl m carried by at-runnioned sleeve 71., pivotally mounted in said support I). Theengaging lip m for said pawl extends laterally therefrom and extendinglongitudinally from said pawl is a stem "m which slidably engages thebore of said sleeve 01. A pin in extends laterally :trom said stem m andengages a. longitudinal slot. n. in. said. sleeve. Coiled within thebore '11 of said sleeve is a compression spring 0 which tends normallyto hold said pawl m in the position shown in Fig. 8, said spring bearingagainst a threaded plug a. at one end, and the stem m for said pawl a tthe other.

The end m of said pawl is beveled and under saidbeveled end, said pawlis undercut, as at 122).. A, trigger 7) is pivotally mounted. upon anarm Q carried by said support 72, andone end 7 ol? said trigger. is

adaptedtoengage the end m or thenndercut portion of said pawl m. Theother. end 22 of. said trigger iscurved and is arranged in the pathfofsaid body 6 and adapted tobe rocked counter-clockwise, as viewed in Fig.3. by engagement with the taperedend e of said. body. Said trigger,however, is normally held by a spring '1- against arim a? ol the head a,as is shown inFig. 3;

In this position its end p. is out, of engagement, with theend m ofthepawl, andv the lipm of said pawl engages one of the teeth of theratchet, in,the.manner shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

When said body e strikes theend 7) of said trigger 79.,itrocks saidtrigger, counter-clock wise, when the end pf climbs: thetapered head. ofsaid body, said body. moves towards said head and enters the cavity ityin alinement witlrthe guide cable 0. The rotation of said triggerpabout; its pivot 9 first causes. the end 79 of saidt-rigger to ridedown the beveled face m of said pawl and to. force said pawl towardsthe, left, as viewed in. Fig.3, compressing the spring. 0 insaid sleeven. \Vhensaid end 72. passes beyondsaid beveled end m; saidend p oi.

the trigger engages the under-cut port-ion.

m of saidpawl, as shown inllig. (5.

The firing pine strikes the explosive cap or tulminate r in theicavitvas shown in Fig. 6, and the explosion thereot by the int pact ofthelatter tills the tiring chamber, 7

p is rocked clockwise, as.

the trigger said inclined face s engages the beveled lace m of said pawland moves the latter out of engagement with the end 71" of said trigger.The pawl is then tree to fall.

\Vhen said pawl is lifted upwardly by said trigger its lip 711,- movesout of engagement with the circular rack a and permits the coiled spiralspring to rotate the head (I. Said trigger, pawl, and step are arrangedsolhat saidpawl is released quickly and thus falls into engagement withsaid racltbe'torethe next succeeding tooth passes thereunder. 'lhus theactuation of the trigger permits d, head to be rotated under the actionof said spring a distance equal to the spacing between said cavities it.he latter, are moved successively into ion under the guiding cable SaidV 6 therefore, is reciprocated alternately, between, the heads at theopposite ends of said cable c successively a number of times equalingthe number of :tulminatesor driving means carried by. said heads.

e claim: 7

1 The combination of a body, a. means, by wh ch said body is movablyguidedalong a predetermined path, an abutment at one end ofsaidpathtorimpactby saidbody, one.

of said impacting. elements. being provided with a cavity in whichtheother tits and into,

ment, whereby the force generated by said explosion functions to projectsaid body from said abutment,

2. The combinationof abod v, ameans by. which sa d body is movablyguided; along;

a predeterminedpath, an abutment at one end. of said path for, impact bysaid body one of. said impacting elements being provided with a cavityin which the other fits and into which it is guided. by saidig juidingmeans and meansil'or. sui'iporting a plurality of tuln' inateelementsbetween said body and said abutment, means operating to bring thevfuhninates successively intoposition to be GKlQlOtlGClJU one otsaidcavities by the impact of the b body from such abutment, said means forbringing the i'uhninates.suece. cly into position including actuatingdevices operated bycontact Of SEIiClbOClY therewitln 3. Thecombinationot a body, ameans by which said. body is. movably guidedalong apredetermined path, an abutment at one end of said path, saidabutment. includinga movable member provided with a plurality,

of cavities. means for alining one or" said cavities with said path,said means includ-.

ing devices actuated by contacttherewith 01 said body and operating tomove said u witlrthe abutnienh thus to. generate a force ltunctioninn;to pi'OjQCt. the

movable member and thus aline said cavities successively with said path,and means for supporting a fuhninate between said abutment and the body,in the cavities of the abutment, to be exploded by impact of the bodywith the abutment, whereby the force generated by said explosionfunctions to propel said body from the abutment.

4:. The combination of a body, a means by which said body is movablyguided along a predetermined path, an abutment at one end of said pat-h,said abutment including a rotary disk provided with a plurality ofconcentrically arranged cavities, means for alining one of said cavitieswith said path, said means including devices actuated by contacttherewith of said body and operatiug to rotate said disk and thus alinesaid cavities successively with said path and means for supporting afulminate between said abutment and the body, in the cavities of theabutment, to be exploded by impact of the body with the aluitmeut,whereby the force generated by said explosion functions to propel saidbody from the abutment.

5. The combination of a body, a means by which said body is movablyguided along a predetermined path, an abutment at each end of said path,said abutments including a movable member provided with a plurality ofcavities, means for alining one of said cavities with said path, saidmeans including devices actuated by contact therewith of said body andoperating to move said movable member and thus aline said cavitiessuccessively with said path and the means for supporting a fulminatebetween said abutment and the body, in the cavities of the abutment. tobe exploded by impact of the body with the abutment, whereby the forcegenerated by said explosion functions to propel said body from theabutment.

6. The combination of a body, a means by which said body is movablyguided along a predetermined path, an abutment at one end of said path,said abutment including a movable member provided with a plurality ofcavities and means for alining one of said cavities with said path, saidmeans including devices actuated by contact therewith of said body andoperating to move said movable member and thus aline said cavitiessuccessively with said path.

7 The combination of a body, a means by which said body is movablyguided. along a predetermined path, an abutment at one end of said path,one of said impacting elements including a movable member provided witha plurality of cavities and means for alining one of said cavities withsaid path. said means including devices actuated by contact therewith ofsaid body and operating to move said movable member and thus aline saidcavities successively with said path.

8. A toy of the character described, comprising two movable companionheads having a plurality of cavities formed in their opposed faces, abody adapted to seat in one of said cavities and a guideway for saidbody extending between said two heads, actuating means in each of saidcavities for driving said body therefrom, and means for moving saidheads so that their cavities are progressively moved into alinement withsaid guideway.

9. A toy of the character described, comprising two movable companionheads hav ing a plurality of cavities formed in their opposed faces, abody adapted to seat in one of said cavities and a guideway for saidbody extending between said two heads, actuating means in each of saidcavities for driving said body therefrom, and spring actuated means formoving said heads so that their cavities are progressively moved intoalinement with said guideway.

10. A toy of the character described, comprising two rotatable companionheads having a plurality of cavities formed in their opposed faces, abody adapted to seat in one of said cavities and a guideway for saidbody extending between said two heads, actuating means in each of saidcavities for driving said body therefrom and spring actuated means formoving said heads so that their cavities are progressively moved intoalinement with said guideway.

11. A toy of the character described, comprising two movable companionheads having a plurality of cavities formed in their opposed faces, abody adapted to seat in one of said cavities and a guideway for saidbody extending between said two heads, actuating means in each of saidcavities for driving said body therefrom, means for moving said heads sothat their cavities are progressively moved into alinement with saidguideway, and said means comprising a spring motor for each of saidheads and a pawl therefor.

12. A toy of the character described, comprising two movable companionheads having a plurality of cavities formed in their opposed faces, abody adapted to seat in one of said cavities and a guideway for saidbody extending between said two heads, actuating means, in each of saidcavities for driving said body therefrom, means for mow ing said headsso that their cavities are progressively moved into alinement with saidguideway, said means comprising a spring motor for each of said headsand a trigger controlled pawl therefor and said trigger being arrangedin path of said body and to be actuated by the latter.

13. A toy of the character described, comprising two movable companionheads having a plurality of cavities formed in their opposed faces, abody adapted to seat in one of said cavities and a guideway for saidprogressively moved into alinement Withsaid gui deway.

14L. A toy: of the characterdescribed, conh prising two rotatablecompanionzheads having a plurality of cavities, formed in, their opposedfaces, a body adapted tovseatwin one of, said cavities and a guidewayfor said body extending between said two heads, a percussion cap ineach, of said' cavities for driving saidbody therefroin and means formoving said heads, so that their cavities are progressively moved intoalinen ent with said guideway,

15.. A toy. ofjthecharacter described comprising two movablecon'ipan-ion heads having a plurality of; cavities formed in theiropposed'i aces, a body adapted to seat? in one ofsaid cavities andaguideway for saidbody extending between said two heads, a per cnssioncapin each of said cavities for driving saidbody therefrom means formoving said heads so that their cavities are. progressively moved intoalineinent with said gnidewav and a firing pin carried by each FAYETTEL. THOIYLPSON. CHARLES A. SLOPER.

